Vaulcron (Enigma Series Book 3) (11 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

Mallory listened to the exchange between Vaulcron and the one known as Gryke as she fought the nausea rolling through her gut.

A moan escaped, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to hold back the contents of her stomach.

“Are you all right?” Vaulcron leaned over the seat and swept her hair back from her face.

“What is wrong with her?” Braum questioned, concern evident in his eyes.

Vaulcron’s gaze shifted to Braum. “The humans drugged us by placing medication in our food.”

Oz twisted around in his seat. “Do you know what kind of drugs they used?”

No,” Vaulcron responded without letting go of Mallory’s hair.

Oz nodded. “How did it affect you?”

Vaulcron could feel the blood rushing to his face. “I do not remember everything. Scent and sound became magnified.” His heart twisted with the memory of taking her with such force. “I blacked out after…”

“After you had sex with her,” Oz finished for him.

Vaulcron could only lower his head in shame. “Yes.”

“Stop feeling guilty,” Mallory whispered, taking deep breaths to keep her food down. “We were both drugged, and the sex was mutual.”

Vaulcron shook his head. “I hurt you.”

“I told you, I’m fine. I’d feel better if I could empty my stomach.”

“I’m sorry, we can’t stop yet,” Tony announced, making an expert turn onto a clay road. “If you can hang on a little while longer, we’ll be arriving at the boat in a few more minutes.”

Mallory leaned forward and laid her head against Vaulcron’s shoulder. Unwilling to speak in front of the truck’s occupants, she reached out to Vaulcron’s mind. “
Please don’t feel bad about what happened in that room. I wanted you just as much as you wanted me.”

“What if I have impregnated you?”

Her heart damn near stopped.
“Let’s pray that didn’t happen. If it did, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Vaulcron stilled.
“Would it be so bad? I would be honored to father a child of yours.”

“I have no home, Vaulcron. No job, no access to my money. I have nothing.”

“You have me.”

Mallory lifted her head and met his emerald-green gaze. She silently admitted her feelings for him, feelings that were growing by the day. But something deep inside continued to hold back.

“You hold back out of fear, Mallory. I will take care of you and any children we create together. You have my word that I will never hurt or betray you
.”

Mallory blinked back tears of sorrow as she stared into Vaulcron’s amazing eyes. The world as she knew it would never be the same, and this giant Bracadyte was offering her a new life. So, why was she terrified?

Maybe she did fear the unknown. Mallory had lived her life being in control of her emotions. She’d spent years trying to live up to her father’s expectations, attempting to prove to him that she could be just as good as any son he might have had.

Mallory had grown hard over the years, clawing her way to the top of the corporate ladder. It hadn’t been easy to get where she was, and she couldn’t count how many people she’d stepped on to get there.

Amy had been Mallory’s only solace in a world of cutthroats. How could she run off with Vaulcron and leave her sister to fend for herself?

“We’re here,” Tony announced, throwing the truck in gear. “Everybody out.”

Mallory twisted around toward the back as Vaulcron jumped from the truck and opened the hatch. He scooped her up and hurried to the boat docked a short distance away.

The rest of the crew followed suit, releasing the ties that held the vessel immobile before jumping on board and aiming their weapons toward the shoreline.

“Mallory?”

The sound of Amy’s voice brought tears of relief to Mallory’s eyes. She wriggled free of Vaulcron’s hold and ran into her sister’s waiting arms.

“Oh, my God. Amy,” Mallory cried, squeezing her younger sibling tightly. “I have been worried sick about you.”

Mallory ran her hands up and down Amy’s arms and then pulled back. “Are you injured? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“I didn’t hurt her,” Anderson muttered, stepping out from behind a large crate.

The crack of Mallory’s palm landing on Anderson’s cheek could be heard clearly over the hum of the boat’s engine.

Anderson’s head jerked from the force of the blow, but otherwise, he didn’t move.

Amy positioned herself between them. “Mallory, stop. He saved my life.”

“Your life wouldn’t have needed saving had it not been for him to begin with.”

“That’s not true. He was only following orders,” Amy defended. “He’s not a bad person.”

Vaulcron stepped in close to Mallory’s side. “He was responsible for shooting Hauke, along with the capture of Abbie and my sister, Naura.”

“And for that, I am deeply sorry. I had orders to bring them in. As far as we knew, they were dangerous.”

“We are dangerous,” Vaulcron growled, his fangs peeking out from beneath his top lip.

“No one touches the human.” An incredibly handsome Bracadyte suddenly appeared in the doorway of the cabin. His ink-black hair was pulled back into some kind of ponytail at the base of his neck. White streaks of hair ran from his temples to disappear behind his head. His face was clean-shaven, appearing porcelain in its beauty. But nothing held a candle to his eyes, as pale green as the gulf.

Another growl rumbled from Vaulcron. “You defend him, Zaureth?”

Mallory couldn’t take her gaze off the ethereal creature gliding toward her. His very presence demanded respect from everyone he passed. She wondered if he was their leader.

Zaureth came to a stop in front of her. “You must be Miss Cahill.”

Vaulcron’s arm came around her shoulders. “She is.”

“I can answer for myself,” Mallory gently scolded, secretly flattered by Vaulcron’s show of jealousy.

Extending her hand toward Zaureth, Mallory sent him a small smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Zaureth accepted her outstretched palm. “The pleasure is mine, Miss Cahill.”

Vaulcron suddenly tugged Mallory back a step, forcing her to let go of Zaureth’s hand. “I will take you to the cabin to rest. I am certain that Oz has food and water on board.”

“I could use a drink,” Mallory admitted, allowing him to guide her toward the cabin. “And a bathroom.”

She slowed her steps and gazed back at her sister. “Amy? Would you like to come with me?”

Amy turned her face in Mallory’s general direction. “I’d like to stay out here a little while longer. I’ll be along shortly.”

“Okay. But I want to catch up soon.” Mallory entered the cabin and took a seat on the nearest cot. She tightened the sheet around her body and leaned back against the wall.

She watched as Vaulcron rummaged through some bags sitting on the counter and produced a bottle of water.

“Here. Drink some of this.” He handed her the water before grabbing one of his own.

Mallory uncapped the bottle and took a healthy sip. The precious liquid slid down her parched throat in blissful euphoria.

She took another drink in an attempt to fight back the dreaded nausea threatening once again.

“Perhaps you should slow down,” Vaulcron suggested, taking a seat next to her. “I do not wish to see you become ill.”

Mallory handed him the water and closed her eyes. “Vaulcron?”

“Hmmmm?”

“I don’t regret any of this.”

He ran a fingertip along her neck, near the place he’d bitten her. “My only regret is that I hurt you.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Mallory assured him. “I just wish I could remember it.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Douglas Jefferies hung up the phone and staggered around the room to assess the injuries to his men.

There were twelve known casualties, six injured, and two missing.

He stumbled over to Willie’s desk to find him lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

“Damn it,” Jeffries growled, his gaze sweeping the area for any sign of life.

“Sir?” Fredericks ran into the room, wild eyed and bleeding from his face. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jefferies snarled, checking the ammunition in his weapon. “Any sign of our missing?”

Fredericks nodded. “They’re dead, sir. I found them upstairs.”

“Son of a bitch.” Jefferies motioned for Fredericks to follow him to the front door. “We have troops on the way. They’ll take care of the injured. I don’t want Cahill and that creature to get too far ahead of us. Let’s go.”

Fredericks ran along beside him. “Do you know which direction they left in, sir? Or where they may be headed?”

“My best guess is to Cahill’s sister’s place. But I can’t reach Anderson on his cell to give him a heads up. I’ll have his ass for this. The idiot.”

* * * *

“Son of a bitch,” President Howell snarled, slamming the phone receiver down with more force than necessary.

Trevor Sparks glanced up with wide eyes from the morning report he’d been going over. “Sir?”

“They’ve escaped again.”

“The alien and Miss Cahill?”

With a jerky nod, Rueben ran a hand down his face. “That damn Anthony Vaughn was behind it.”

“What happened?” Sparks asked, laying the papers aside and getting to his feet.

Rueben stared back at him for long moments before answering. “Vaughn and a handful of those aliens attacked Winchester Industries, killing fourteen of our best men.”

Trevor paled. “And Jefferies?”

“He’s gone after them. He figures they will head over to Brighton’s place in search of Cahill’s sister.”

Rueben rested his palms on top of his desk. “Notify every law enforcement agency in all surrounding counties, including Walton County. I want an APB on Vaughn and Cahill. Roadblocks set up on every major highway. Notify the CIA and FBI as well. I want eyes in the sky. Drones, satellites. You name it. I want them found, Sparks.”

“Right away, sir.” Trevor snatched up his papers and turned to go, stopping before he reached the door. “Perhaps we’re going about this all wrong?”

“What’s your point?” Rueben barked, pinning the guy with an intimidating stare.

Trevor nervously shifted the papers he held in his hands. “Maybe we should go public with the situation. Offer the Sutherland woman a deal.”

When Rueben continued to peer at him over the rim of his glasses, Trevor continued. “In exchange for allowing us to run tests on her and her child, draw some blood, take some samples, she will be heavily compensated and permitted to go free once the testing is complete. We get the samples we need, and they no longer have to run. It’s a win-win situation.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Rueben growled, marching around his desk to stand in front of Sparks. “We can’t go public with any of this. Too much is at stake. Not to mention, several people would be brought up on charges, myself included, after I’ve been impeached.”

“I’m sorry, sir. It was a terrible idea.”

“You’re damn right it was, and if you value your career, you won’t speak of such nonsense again.”

“Yes, sir.” Trevor fled the room in a hurry, nearly running into the door on his way out.

* * * *

Glenn Anderson moved across the deck and took a seat next to Amy. “Can I get you anything?”

Amy shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks. But I appreciate the offer.”

“May I ask you a question?” Glenn inquired, studying her profile.

“Sure.”

“What are your plans once we get to Cuba? I mean, I realize that you have your sister, but it looks to me like she has her sights set on one of those…things.”

Amy tilted her head slightly. “Things?”

“The aliens I told you about.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe you seem alien to them as well? Yet they have never done anything to harm you.”

“They are the very reason we’re in this predicament to begin with.”

Amy shook her head. “From what you have told me, we are the ones who blew that oil well and caused them to wash up onto the beach. How is it their fault that they are here?”

“It’s not. There’s just something unnatural about them. I don’t believe it was meant for us to cohabitate with them. They live beneath the gulf for a reason.”

Glenn glanced up in time to see Zaureth watching him with a hooded expression. He wondered what the creature was thinking as he stood there motionless.

“I don’t judge others by how they are created,” Amy informed Glenn as she rose to her feet. “Any more than I want others judging me for my disability.”

Glenn stood also. “May I help you to the cabin?”

“I will take her,” Zaureth announced, suddenly standing in front of them. Glenn hadn’t seen him move.

Amy’s face lifted, a soft smile playing on her lips. “Hello, Zaureth.”

The giant alien didn’t answer, only linked her arm through his and turned to guide her toward the cabin.

Glenn shook his head and wandered over to where Oz sat, steering the boat. “How much longer until we arrive in Cuban waters?”

“Not long,” Oz responded, his jaw muscle tense. “You have a problem with the Bracadytes?”

“What makes you say that?” Glenn took a seat next to the tall Cuban.

Oz briefly met Glenn’s gaze before turning his attention back to the waters in front of them. “It’s easy enough to spot. I’d be careful if I were you.”

Glenn’s own jaw tensed. “Is that a threat?”

“No threat. Only good advice. The Bracadytes are a loyal species. They love deeply, protect fiercely, and are more deadly than your human military if they are provoked.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Oz sighed before turning to face him. “Because I don’t want to see you cause a fight that you can’t win.”

Glenn stood. “I’m not causing anything. I don’t have anything personal against them. I just feel that our two races shouldn’t mix. If we were meant to breed with them, we would have gills and fangs as well.”

“Says the man who betrayed his country for them,” Oz shot back.

“I didn’t do it for them.” Or did he? Glenn wondered, slinking off to the other side of the boat. Why had he helped the Bracadytes at the risk of his own life? He wasn’t sure, but something inside him had demanded he do it. Demanded he free Amy and reunite her with her sister. Demanded he give Zaureth the details of Winchester Industries, to aid in the rescue of Mallory and Vaulcron. Or maybe it was himself he was trying to free…